I hear what reasonable people are saying about protecting themselves in perceived dangerous situations. But I have difficulty in imagining how they, or I, or any normal sane individual could, if confronted by a sudden unexpected 'situation' in an otherwise every day setting, make a snap or rational decision to draw out a gun and kill somebody!

I can see how the 'willy waving' idiot could live out his fantasy, and with no more doubt or sensitivity than if he was simply swatting a fly. But isn't that proof enough that there ought to be a strict psychological assessment to prevent such people strutting about the streets with the means to kill?

GT--I think you've got it. Is it really all about "willy waving" for those unsure of their willies? Wave a gun = think you are virile? Maybe just vile.

So you're suggesting a psychological AND physical back-ground check? But TSA gives me a free one every time I fly? Hmmm... I'd always assumed they'd been laughing at some sit-com they were watching on their private TV. Now you've got me really concerned.

A Georgia mother who shot an intruder at her home has become a small part of the roaring gun control debate, with some firearms enthusiasts touting her as a textbook example of responsible gun ownership

The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

Melinda Herman grabbed a handgun and hid in a crawl space with her two children when a man broke in last week and approached the family at their home northeast of Atlanta, police said. Herman called her husband on the phone, and with him reminding her of the lessons she recently learned at a shooting range, Herman opened fire, seriously wounding the burglary suspect

Jan. 4, 2012
A young Oklahoma mother shot and killed an intruder to protect her 3-month-old baby on New Year's Eve, less than a week after the baby's father died of cancer.

Sarah McKinley says that a week earlier a man named Justin Martin dropped by on the day of her husband's funeral, claiming that he was a neighbor who wanted to say hello. The 18-year-old Oklahoma City area woman did not let him into her home that day.

On New Year's Eve Martin returned with another man, Dustin Stewart, and this time was armed with a 12-inch hunting knife. The two soon began trying to break into McKinley's home.

As one of the men was going from door to door outside her home trying to gain entry, McKinley called 911 and grabbed her 12-gauge shotgun.

McKinley told ABC News Oklahoma City affiliate KOCO that she quickly got her 12 gauge, went into her bedroom and got a pistol, put the bottle in the baby's mouth and called 911.

ABC
An 18-year-old Oklahoma mother shot and... View Full Size

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An 18-year-old Oklahoma mother shot and killed an intruder who broke into her home. Teen Mom Shoots, Kills Intruder Watch Video
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"I've got two guns in my hand -- is it okay to shoot him if he comes in this door?" the young mother asked the 911 dispatcher. "I'm here by myself with my infant baby, can I please get a dispatcher out here immediately?"

The 911 dispatcher confirmed with McKinley that the doors to her home were locked as she asked again if it was okay to shoot the intruder if he were to come through her door.

"I can't tell you that you can do that but you do what you have to do to protect your baby," the dispatcher told her. McKinley was on the phone with 911 for a total of 21 minutes.

When Martin kicked in the door and came after her with the knife, the teen mom shot and killed the 24-year-old. Police are calling the shooting justified.

"You're allowed to shoot an unauthorized person that is in your home. The law provides you the remedy, and sanctions the use of deadly force," Det. Dan Huff of the Blanchard police said.

Stewart soon turned himself in to police.

McKinley said that she was at home alone with her newborn that night because her husband just died of cancer on Christmas Day.

An Atlanta mom took matters into her own hands on Friday when confronting an intruder. The unidentified woman hid with her 9-year-old twins in a crawlspace as a man broke into her house and began rummaging through it. The alleged burglar, Paul Ali Slater, eventually found the family’s hiding space, but not before finding himself staring down the barrel of a .38 revolver. The woman fired six shots, five of which hit Slater in the face and neck, but he managed to flee after the family ran to a neighbor’s house. Slater is expected to survive. This story, shared thousands of times from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution website, has incited some pro-gun tweeps to voice their delight; @Jennecar writes of the story, "why we need guns in our homes!" And @kjclt1 writes, "bet this Atlanta area mother of 2 is glad she had her gun."

An Alabama woman said she was forced to shoot an intruder that broke into her home this week in order to protect herself and her daughters.

Martha Lewis of Dora, Ala. told WVTM-TV it was about 3 a.m. Tuesday morning when she heard a loud noise, which turned out to be someone kicking in her door. Lewis said she called the police and grabbed her gun, then went to her daughters’ room and told them each to get something to defend themselves with. She said one grabbed an ax and one got a butcher knife.

They were at the top of the stairs when they saw a man standing there at the bottom.

“I knew when he stepped on the landing that I would have to shoot him,” Lewis told the station. “He starts like coming up the stairs and he said, ‘would you shoot me?’ And I said ‘I don’t want to have to but I will.’”

Ignoring her warnings, the man kept coming — and that’s when Lewis said she fired.

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